


I Can't Even Take It In

by Actual_Dunwich_Horror



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: 2019 Salt Lake Shootout, Fluff, I saw the opportunity to write a fic set in my home state and i took it, M/M, Slight Hurt/Comfort, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-10-30 06:23:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20810000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actual_Dunwich_Horror/pseuds/Actual_Dunwich_Horror
Summary: Brock's first game of the preseason just so happens to take place in Salt Lake City, Utah. He doesn't know shit about the place, but what he does know is that he's happy to be back with Elias.





	I Can't Even Take It In

**Author's Note:**

> If you find this by googling yourself or anyone you know, please turn away. This is entirely fiction.
> 
> The Canucks came to Salt Lake City to play a preseason game against the LA Kings in what is called the "Salt Lake Shootout". Utah just so happens to be my home state, so I just couldn't resist. All the places mentioned in this fic are real! I'm so happy to have finally written a fic for these two. Enjoy!

Brock… doesn’t really have an opinion of Utah.

Sure, he was there for last year’s Salt Lake Shootout as well, but it wasn’t exactly eventful. They showed up, they lost, and then they left. The only thing that was glaringly different about Utah was how small and quiet it was in comparison to all the big cities that he visited on a regular basis. That, and the fact that hockey fans were almost non-existent there. Needless to say, he wasn’t exactly impressed, even if he wasn’t given the best introduction.

This year’s game in Salt Lake feels much more significant, though.

He’s got a shiny new contract, it’s his first game of the preseason, and the Kings  _ sucked  _ last season while the Canucks got so, so close to making the playoffs.

But what’s even more important to him is the fact that it’s his first game of the season with Elias.

When Brock arrived in Vancouver a few days before, Elias was all over him. He had kissed Brock whenever he could, constantly held his hand, and had called him stupid with a fond smile on more than one occasion. It’s not like Brock minded. If anything, he enjoyed how uncharacteristically clingy Elias was, since more often than not it was him who was more affectionate out of the two.

And, really? Brock missed Elias just as much. He’d wanted to have him come to the lake, but after Elias won the Calder, Brock thought it would be best to let him have some space to celebrate and be with his family and friends in Sweden. And it’s not like they didn’t facetime each other all the time, even with the time difference. Frankly, Brock’s friends got somewhat annoyed at them both, but he didn’t care. He missed Elias.

So, they show up to Salt Lake. As they step off the plane, Brock takes a breath, looks out at the mountains on the edge of the city and smiles at how surprisingly gorgeous they are in the setting sun. For a split second, a familiar fluttering feeling flashes through his chest, as if he’s just seen one of Elias’s more sincere, bright grins, and he suddenly feels… refreshed. Brock’s missed playing, missed being by Elias’s side both on and off the ice, and he feels so incredibly excited to get back into the routine of playing NHL hockey, even if it’s in a city that hardly matters. The idea of it all makes Brock’s heart feel like it’s going to fly out of his chest.

Elias waits for him at the bottom of the steps, his face twisted up into an almost disappointed expression, which is quite a contrast in comparison to how Brock is feeling.

“What’s wrong?” Brock asks, nudging him lightly.

“Thought it’d smell different here,” Elias says flatly, and he starts walking across the tarmac with the rest of their teammates. “After all, it’s called ‘Salt Lake City’, right?”

Brock grins and shakes his head. Of course Elias would find something to go off about the moment they arrive. “I mean, it probably gets worse the closer you get to the actual lake. Plus it’s not as big as, like, the ocean.”

Elias huffs through his nose and glances down at Brock, a completely flat expression on his face. “I guess you’re right.”

Brock grins up at Elias and takes his hand, squeezing it slightly before letting it go, earning a hint of a smile from Elias.

Brock glances over his shoulder, looking at the Great Salt Lake shimmering on the horizon, reflecting the setting sun. A thought suddenly pops into his head, and he laughs to himself. Elias turns and raises an eyebrow, as if to ask what on earth he’s giggling about.

“You and the Great Salt Lake have something in common,” Brock says. “You’re both very salty, yet very beautiful.”

Elias scoffs and rolls his eyes, but Brock doesn’t miss the small smile on his lips or the way his cheeks are tinged a bit pink. He’s definitely missed making Elias blush. 

Once they’re settled in at the hotel and Brock’s changed into something less formal, he asks Elias if he wants to go out and actually check out Salt Lake City. He’s had plenty of chances to explore everywhere else they play games, but he chose to hide out in his hotel room during last season’s trip to Utah, so he’s curious as to what Salt Lake has to offer.

“So, where are we going?” Elias asks once they begin walking down 4th street.

“Um, well…” Brock trails off. He honestly hadn’t expected Elias to agree to go, and he doesn’t know shit about Salt Lake, so he’d sort of hoped to roam around and pretend like he knew where he was going in hopes of stumbling upon something to do.

“Let me guess,” Elias sighs, “you don’t know.”

“That’s part of the fun when you’re exploring new cities!” Brock says, trying to own the fact that he didn’t think things through further. “It’s a little late, so not much will be open, but hey. There’s gotta be  _ something  _ around here.”

After circling the block and going down the street by the Vivint Arena, the two of them find themselves walking through The Gateway mall.

It’s a nice little open-aired place, and although a lot of the shops are starting to close, Brock and Elias have a good time simply walking around under the stars with the streetlights beaming down around them. It shouldn’t feel romantic, but for some odd reason, it does.

They make sure not to do anything too public, out of fear that  _ someone  _ will recognize them, but Brock can’t help himself from reaching out and squeezing Elias’s hand whenever he says something funny or leaning up and kissing him in front of the fountain in the center of the mall when he’s sure no one is paying attention to them.

They leave to go explore for a bit longer, but eventually Elias gets quieter and quieter, so Brock figures it’s about time to head back. On the trek back, though, they walk past a nightclub called Area 51, and Brock can’t help but crack all sorts of jokes to Elias about  _ that. _ He can tell that Elias is more amused than he lets on.

Once they’re back in the room, Elias changes and flops down on the bed that Brock had previously claimed as his own, and almost immediately starts glaring at Brock, as if it’s a crime that Brock isn’t cuddling up to him right this moment.

“Chill babe, I gotta get changed,” Brock says, pulling his shirt off with a grin. He goes to grab a different shirt out of his bag, but Elias stops him.

“I have a better idea,” he says, voice low. “Why don’t you come over here and let me show you?”

And, well, Brock can’t say no to that.

//

The game… sucks.

Ben had been signed by the Kings only days beforehand, yet here he was, scoring a goal in his first (preseason) game with them. It was great seeing him again, don’t get Brock wrong, but. It stings to watch your ex-teammate score against you.

There were way too many Kings fans in the crowd, (which didn’t make sense considering how Utah is surrounded by three other states that contained NHL teams) although there were a few Canucks fans as well. Brock was thankful for that. It meant that he and his teammates weren’t going to be the only disappointed ones that night.

And, just. They were  _ so close _ . They’d ended up tying the game in the first, but- they just couldn’t keep the puck out of their zone, and they end up losing 7-5.

“ _ Utah is cursed, _ ” Brock thinks to himself as he skates off the ice, Elias in tow.

//

Back at the hotel room, Elias is silent. Brock can’t stand it, but he doesn’t know what to say.

Neither of them change out of their suits. Elias sits in the armchair and stares out the window, and Brock sits on the bed, leaning up against the headboard. He wants to say  _ something _ , but he just cannot find it in him to say anything remotely positive right now.

So, he continues to quietly stare at Elias, until-

“I’m sorry you had a shitty first game,” Elias says quietly, not moving from his spot at the window. “So much for a ‘welcome back’.”

Brock sighs and glances down at his hands. “Don’t be sorry.”

Elias makes a low noise, like he disagrees, and somehow it makes Brock feel worse.

The silence drags out for another moment or two before Brock decides he can’t stand it. He moves to the edge of the bed, scooting up next to Elias.

“What do you see out there?” Brock asks, voice slightly shaky.

Elias tilts his head and hums, then gestures. “That.”

The building Elias points to is big, bright, and frankly quite beautiful. To Brock, it looks like some kind of small bioluminescent castle, but after thinking for a moment, he realizes that it’s a temple of some sort.

“Oh,” he breathes, staring at it alongside Elias.

“Yeah,” Elias mutters.

Not long later, they change out of their suits and shower together, somehow managing to keep their hands off of each other in the process. Once they’re in bed though, Elias curls right up against Brock, wrapping an arm around his stomach and burying his face into Brock’s chest. The sight of it makes Brock’s heart beat a mile a minute, and his face grows slightly red, as he’s positive that Elias can hear his heartbeat pick up.

Instead of worrying about it, Brock reaches up and begins to run his fingers through Elias’s soft blonde hair, slowly getting him to relax.

“I’ve missed this,” Elias mumbles out of nowhere. “I’ve missed you. So much.” His eyes are closed and he’s still lying on Brock’s chest, and for a split moment, Brock feels like he could cry.

“I’ve missed you too. More than you know.” He whispers to Elias, and slowly, they drift to sleep in each other’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are much appreciated.
> 
> Come hang out with me on tumblr at @trans-parayko, or on my hockey rpf twitter @GreatSaveGrubi!


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